Pennsylvania Water Science Center

Introducing the Pennsylvania Water Science Center’s Newsletter, Pennsylvania Waters. Our newsletter will be published periodically to keep you informed of the latest USGS water-resources information for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Articles present new data, reports, activities, and outreach from our center as well as USGS national and regional programs. 
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Melinda Chapman, recently appointed Director of the Pennsylvania Water Science Center (previously Assistant Chief of the USGS Office of Groundwater), introduces the first issue of the Pennsylvania Waters newsletter, available via http://www.usgs.gov/pennsylvania-waters-newsletters.

A USGS study characterized groundwater flow paths from possible PFAS sources at three former and active military facilities in southeastern Pennsylvania. The new research will help federal, state and local officials, water resource managers and the public as they work to address PFAS contamination in groundwater and surface water used for private and public water supply.

USGS staff participated in Science Night at Fishing Creek Elementary School, where students learned about the native macroinvertebrate* population in nearby Yellow Breeches Creek.

Maximum likelihood logistic regression (MLLR) is used to estimate drought probabilities for selected Northeast rivers and streams. Winter streamflows are used to estimate the chance of hydrologic drought during summer months. This application allows the display and query of these drought streamflow probabilities for Northeastern streams.

A new U.S. Geological Survey study has discovered high levels of radon in wells across certain areas of Pennsylvania.

Tests of 75 private drinking water wells in Lycoming County, in north-central Pennsylvania, found water from most of the sampled wells contained concentrations of radon that exceeded a proposed, nonbinding health standard for drinking water. Smaller percentages of the wells contained concentrations of arsenic or methane that exceed existing drinking water standards.

Philadelphia communities along the Schuylkill River and Darby Creek now have new tools to help inform residents of impending flooding. The U.S. Geological Survey recently installed three new streamgages in Manayunk, Eastwick, and downtown near 30th St., which will monitor water levels, and provide vital data used by emergency managers and flood forecasters to help protect lives and property. 

A regional assessment of untreated groundwater in the Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain aquifer system in the eastern United States is now available from the U.S. Geological Survey.

A regional assessment of untreated groundwater in the combined Valley and Ridge and Piedmont and Blue Ridge aquifers in the eastern United States is now available from the U.S. Geological Survey.

A new study from the USGS assesses water quality data for the Juniata River Basin in Western Blair County, Pennsylvania.